Welcome to the Hellmouth, Welcome to the Hellmouth
by x-oncemorewithfeeling-x
Summary: Buffy gets called to Sunnydale...and so does an aquaintance of Giles'...Set start of Season 1. Please R&R!
1. Introducing

**Disclaimer: - I do not own any Buffy characters... Joss Whedon...Mutant Enemy...yada yada yada **

"Hey Courtney, could you pass me the shower gel?"

"I can't Lucy...my hands are too wet and soapy."

"Well, just rub me with them then..."

Tatum Giles wrapped a towel around her and stepped out of the shower room.

"Hey Tatum! We still on for tonight?" a blonde girl called out to her in the hallway.

"Sure. You supply the entertainment and I'll sort out the rest..." she grinned.

Tatum got into her dorm room and collapsed onto the bed.

She hated private school. If her dad wasn't such a snob and her mom wasn't such a...well, if her mom was sane enough to look after her, and her dad wasn't shacked up in England...

Still, it wasn't hell. The school had pretty lack security and sneaking out at nights to parties was an easy task. Smuggling cigarettes, alcohol and other illegal things into the dorms was also effortless.

Even so, Tatum still felt restricted. Having just turned sixteen, she was ready to be experiencing high school, with boys, proms and most of all...cheerleading. It didn't matter...Tatum was doomed to be stuck in the establishment until she was twenty one...


	2. Sunnydale High

"MISS GILES!"

Tatum's head shot off her resting elbow, as she woke with a start.

"I would like a moment in my office with you..."

She couldn't believe it! She was heading out from Michigan all the way to California! The Head explained that her father had made a transfer for her to start school in a small town in California called Sunnydale. The Head had also made an unnecessary speech about how the school was glad to see the back of her; that she was a trouble maker...she'd only started one fire and that had been an accident...kinda. And the numerous fights...someone else had started them.

Honestly...

Xander Harris sat on a bench in the quad with his skateboard. He was absent-mindedly gazing around when his eyes fell upon the beautiful girl walking up the front steps.

She was wearing a small grey kilt with knee high black boots. She wore a light pink shirt over a white top. The sun bounced off of her shiny brunette hair. Xander focused on the pencil she chewed on as she walked along confidently, ignoring the stares from the crowds.

He almost couldn't believe it when she strode right on up to him.

"Excuse me...I'm Tatum Giles. I'm new here."

"I'm Xander Harris." He paused. He didn't want to say something dumb and blow it like he had earlier that morning. I mean, how many new beautiful girls were gonna stroll up to him that day.

"Do you want me to show you around?" He noticed the heavy looking bags she had, "Don't travel light do ya?!"

"Well, I flew in from Michigan, got the bus from LA airport and walked here. I haven't slept in a while." Tatum replied, eying him with interest. He was really cute, especially his smile...

"Wow...um...so I am at your service!" Xander grinned hopping around to her other side, "Shall I carry a bag? They look pretty heavy..."

"Nah...I'm strong." she answered and began to walk into school, Xander following her.

"Could you show me where the library is please?"

"Oh, why can't you people just leave me alone?" a pretty girl whined, walking down the library steps.

"Because you are the Slayer." said an older man, following her, "Into each generation a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires..."

The girl interrupted him and joined in, "...with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil blah, blah, blah... I've heard it, okay?"

The man held his temples, "I really don't understand this attitude. You-you've accepted your duty, you-you've slain vampires before..."

"Yeah, and I've both been there and done that, and I'm moving on." the girl replied.

"I believe that's what he said after he knocked up my mom." Tatum said loudly.

The two people standing on the steps swung to look at the newcomer.

"Hey! I'm Tatum! I'm new here! And you must be...Mr Giles?"

The other girl turned to her with a small smile, "So you know this creep too?"

"Yeah." Tatum returned the smile, "He's my father."


	3. Two?

"Tatum?" The librarian took off his glasses and squinted at his daughter.

"Yah, hi dad." She dumped her bags on the floor.

He hurried towards her and stopped when he reached her.

"Is this a time for a...a hug?"

"I guess..." said Tatum, unsure. They hugged awkwardly.

"So hello?!" said the girl, "Did everyone forget about Buffy? The Vampire Slayer? The Chosen One?"

"Ah...about that..." Giles removed his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on, "The Council and I have had many discussions as to how this could have happened...We've researched the matter in great detail...It is quite unprecedented, and this sort of situation has never occurred in the entire history of slayers..."

"GILES!" Buffy yelled, "Get to the point."

"Ah...yes...well, it seems that there is indeed not a Chosen 'one'...but in fact a Chosen Two."

He looked at the girls dramatically, and was disheartened by their blank expressions.

"Yeah, so?" They both said at the same time.

"There are two slayers at the same time!" Giles said with enthusiasm, "Two slayers!"

"Ok..." Tatum sighed, "We're talking about vampire slayers?"

"Yeah, and that would be me!" Buffy smiled at her, "But I'm retired."

"No, you are not." Giles looked at her sternly.

"I don't need this!" Buffy pouted, "It's my first day! I was afraid that I was gonna be behind in all my classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I would have last month's hair. I didn't think there'd be vampires on campus. And I don't care."

"Then why are you here?" Giles asked her.

Buffy was caught off-guard, "To tell you that... I don't care, which... I don't, and... have

now told you, so... bye."

"Is he, w-will he... rise again?" Giles called after her.

Buffy turned back, "Who?"

"The boy."

"No. He's just dead."

"Can you be sure?"

"To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood. And then you

have to suck their blood. It's like a whole big sucking thing. Mostly

they're just gonna kill you. Why am I still talking to you?" Buffy began to walk away again.

Meanwhile, Tatum had seated herself at one of the library tables and was listening to them with increasing interest.

Buffy turned again and headed for the door. Giles took a view paces towards her, "You really have no idea what's going on, do you? You think it's coincidence, your being here? That boy was just the beginning."

"Oh, why can't you people just leave me alone?" Buffy whined.

"Because you are the one...not the only one now may I add, that must fight against the powers of evil to kill – "

"Vampires." Buffy finished.

"Not just vampires; zombies, werewolves, incubi, succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed, but told yourself couldn't be by the light of day. They're all real!" Giles said.

"Hold it for a second."

The two swung around realizing that Tatum was still in the library.

"So vampires, zombies, werewolves...they're real?" she said slowly, "And Buffy is the Slayer, and she kills them or fights them, or slays them...whatever."

"Yes." replied Giles, "And all these creatures of evil are drawn to Sunnydale because this town is situated on the Hellmouth."

"The Hellmouth is evil. It is the gateway to hell, and evil things use it pretty much as a subway." explained Buffy.

"That is not entirely true, Buffy. The Hellmouth is in fact sealed, but it still attracts demons." said Giles.

"Hey, I know! Why don't you kill 'em?" said Buffy suddenly.

"I-I'm a Watcher, I-I haven't the skill..." Giles stuttered.

"Oh, come on, stake through the heart, a little sunlight... It's like falling off a log." said Buffy.

"A, a Slayer slays, a Watcher..."

"...watches?" said Buffy, without missing a beat.

"Yes. No! He, he trains her, he, he, he prepares her..."

"Prepares me for what?" Buffy said angrily, "For getting kicked out of school? For losing all of my friends? For having to spend all of my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because I might endanger them? Go ahead! Prepare me."

They looked at each other for a moment. Buffy exhaled, turned and left the library in disgust. Giles hesitated for an instant, "Damn."

He exited the library quickly.

Tatum lit a cigarette. She was bored. She was cranky. She was tired. And she was confused. Vampires? Slayers? A Hellmouth? She was sure her dad belonged in the hospital with her mom.

Giles returned to the library and went straight to his office. He smelt smoke and dashed into the library. His eyes fell on his daughter. She smiled innocently up at him.

"Put that out at once!" he said loudly.

She didn't move a muscle. She looked up at him coldly, "Finally decided to pay me some attention then? Or did you just think your precious books were on fire?"

"I am dreadfully sorry. I know you must be tired, but there are situations that are a matter of urgency." said Giles.

"Oh, my bad." She threw her cigarette to the floor and stamped it out, "I didn't know that helping your only child settle in to a new town and get to know her better would be near the bottom of your dire list."

She stormed out of the library.

Giles stamped his foot, "Damn."

He exited the library quickly.


	4. Daughter and Slayer of mine

Tatum walked along the corridor lost in her own thoughts. Suddenly she remembered that she hadn't been to the principal's office and it was afternoon classes.

After listening to him for a good long while, she got her timetable, and was told to get her books from the library. Tatum decided that she might as well blow off class until tomorrow. She walked down the corridor and bumped into Buffy.

"Hey!" said Tatum, "You headed for the library?"

"Unfortunately." groaned Buffy, "I know this has probably totally wigged you out; the whole Slayer and Watcher deal. And the vampires and stuff."

"Explains a great deal actually." replied Tatum, "I've come across some nasty looking dudes that were looking to get their asses kicked. Big with the biting. And afraid of this." She held up a large silver cross, "I really shoulda figured it out."

"Ass kicking? You kick ass?" Buffy queried.

"Yeah...partly why I got my ass kicked out of school."

"So you've like had training? Karate and Judo and stuff?"

"Nah...it just comes naturally really." explained Tatum, "I mean, I could hit people normally, and I was on the gymnastics team, then suddenly one day I could just really wale on people, and I knew proper moves...it was strange. And that's when I'd get into random fights on the street, like with vampires and stuff."

"Sounds like something I vaguely remember going through..." mumbled Buffy.

They entered the library and Giles pounced on them.

"Aha! You're both here! I can finally get you to understand the truth of what I've been trying to explain to you since this afternoon!"

"Uh-huh." the girls said in unison.

"I have spoken with my associate Mr. Quentin Travers, and the Council and I have finally come to a relatively appropriate conclusion."

"Uh-huh." they said again.

He turned to Buffy. "Do you remember last summer when you burnt down your school gymnasium?"

"Kinda..." she replied, "Vampires, me, matches, fire."

"Well do you remember waking up in the hospital?" Giles pressed on.

"Yeah, I remember the fire and all the vamps doing a Ms. Springfield on me, then...yeah, the hospital. I had...erm...passed out from the smoke and they had to pump my stomach, or lungs or something."

"Yes!" said Giles, looking pleased.

"Don't have too much of a happy, Dad." said Tatum.

"Yes. Sorry." Giles looked embarrassed, "During this standard procedure however, you...flat lined as they say."

"I died?" said Buffy, shocked.

"Indeed you did." said Giles, cleaning his glasses, "And that was when the second slayer was called."

"The second slayer?" Buffy said loudly, "That's what you were on about?! The Chosen Two?!"

"Yes, indeed." said Giles quietly, "This girl does not know she is the slayer, has not had contact with a watcher, and does not know her calling."

"Who is she?" asked Buffy.

"My daughter..." Giles whispered.


	5. Accepting the Calling

**I don't think I've put in a disclaimer...so just to make sure I'll add one here, just in case! **

**Disclaimer:- Joss Whedon...Mutant Enemy...I own nothing. Except for the characters that I have invented obviously!**

* * *

Tatum looked at her father and at Buffy with the same shocked, wide-eyed stare that they looked at her with.

"Whoa! I can't be this Slayer person." Tatum said.

"You can, and you are." Giles told her.

"I can't!" she whined.

"Well this makes my job a whole lot easier!" smiled Buffy.

"So you are going to accept your calling now?" Giles looked at Buffy.

"Yeah!" Buffy moved nearer to Tatum, "Two Slayers! It's gonna be a blast!"

Tatum moved away from Buffy and sat on a chair. She looked up at Giles, "So, what am I going to have to do?"

"Well...the same as Buffy...and any other Slayer; fight evil." Giles said.

"And that involves...?"

"Training...marital arts and combat training, training with weapons, studying demons-"

"And patrolling." finished Buffy, "This is when we go out at night hunting and killing vampires. And usually a demon or two. And sometimes there's big apocalypsy doom, and we have to stop the world from ending. That's always wicked ominous."

"Well, it actually all sounds pretty cool!" Tatum said, smiling at Buffy.

Giles breathed a sigh of relief.

"However, you must keep your identity...identities...a secret." Giles cautioned them, "No-one can know you're the Slayers, for their own safety."

"That gets annoying." said Buffy to Tatum, "Coz my mom's always wondering where I'm going, and I have to sneak in through my window at night. You're lucky, coz at least he won't ask you where you're going."

"Yes." said Giles, cleaning his glasses.

"Well that's great!" Tatum said, jumping up from her chair, "Do I get weapons, like stakes and stuff? Oh! And little bottles of holy water!?"

"Yes." said Giles, "I have all of this at my house. There are supplies here..." He indicated to a filing cupboard and his office.

Tatum walked into the book cage and opened the cupboard; there were axes, crossbows, maces, swords, heavy looking things with hooks and nails on the end...and a drawer full of stakes, crosses, garlic, daggers, knives and vials of holy water.

"Wow." she whispered.

* * *

Buffy and Tatum walked out of school. They were chatting about their old schools, and how weird it would be settling into a new school, not to mention having to deal with their extra curricular activities.

Xander saw them coming down the steps, "So they're friends..." he thought to himself, "Or sisters!" He skated over to them.

"Oh hey Xander!" greeted Tatum.

"Hey!" he grinned.

Buffy turned to Tatum, "You know him too?"

"Yeah, he showed me to the library." said Tatum, "He's the only person that's talked to me since I got here...well, apart from you."

"Me too." said Buffy, "He helped me when I dropped my bag this morning."

"Speaking of..." Xander rummaged through his backpack, and pulled out a stake, "You left this behind. All I can think of is that you're building a really small fence..." He handed it to Buffy.

"It's for self defense." Buffy said quickly, "Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is just so passé."

"Yeah, we all had them in Michigan." said Tatum, pulling one out.

"Cool!" said Xander, obliviously, "Maybe I should get one too."

"Doesn't seem like Sunnydale has much crime going on." said Buffy.

"You'd be surprised. The death rate is off the chart here." Xander said.

"How about that..." whispered Tatum to Buffy.

Buffy smiled.


	6. The Bronze

Buffy and Tatum walked out of school. They were chatting about their old schools, and how weird it would be settling into a new school, not to mention having to deal with their extra curricular activities.

Xander saw them coming down the steps, "So they're friends..." he thought to himself, "Or sisters!" He skated over to them.

"Oh hey Xander!" greeted Tatum.

"Hey!" he grinned.

Buffy turned to Tatum, "You know him too?"

"Yeah, he showed me to the library." said Tatum, "He's the only person that's talked to me since I got here...well, apart from you."

"Me too." said Buffy, "He helped me when I dropped my bag this morning."

"Speaking of..." Xander rummaged through his backpack, and pulled out a stake, "You left this behind. All I can think of is that you're building a really small fence..." He handed it to Buffy.

"It's for self defense." Buffy said quickly, "Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is just so passé."

"Yeah, we all had them in Michigan." said Tatum, pulling one out.

"Cool!" said Xander, obliviously, "Maybe I should get one too."

"Doesn't seem like Sunnydale has much crime going on." said Buffy.

"You'd be surprised. The death rate is off the chart here." Xander said.

"How about that..." whispered Tatum to Buffy.

Buffy smiled.

* * *

Tatum finished sticking up the last poster on her teal walls when her father entered the room. 

"I thought this room was green." Giles stated, looking around the newly-transformed bedroom.

"You think I was gonna leave it that barf color?" Tatum asked him, stacking her CD's next to her stereo.

"You have a lot of...um...things." Giles said, picking up a little pink teddy bear.

"Yeah, I traded a lot during boarding school." she said absentmindedly, "Things girls will give you for drugs..."

"What?" Giles asked her, staring at her incredulously.

Tatum chose to ignore him. She didn't really have much to complain about. Her room was a decent size, she had a nice big bed, and the house itself wasn't exactly small. And she lived a few blocks away from Buffy, which meant they could spend more time together.

"Can you excuse me?" she asked her father after a few minutes, "I need to change."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm going out."

"With whom?"

"Buffy."

"Where will you be going? To the cemetery?"

"No. We're going to a club."

* * *

"Will there be boys there?" 

"No, Mom. It's a nun club."

"Just be careful." said Joyce Summers, leaving her daughter's bedroom slowly.

"I will." said Buffy, turning quickly to smile at her departing mother.

She shuffled through her clothes. Slutty...Eww...No way...When did I buy this?...Hmm...Maybe if I put this with...?

* * *

Buffy walked along the street. She knew someone was following her. Jeez, Tatum only lived a couple of blocks down the street, how did she manage to get stalked during that? She hurried down an alley, and scanned her surroundings. Spotting a horizontal pole running from one wall to the other, Buffy jumped up to grab it, and swung herself steadily until she was doing a perfect hand-stand up on the pole, out of sight.

The man crept down the alley. He peered around, obviously confused that his victim had managed to escape him. As he passed under Buffy, she let herself fall, and kicked him in the back of the head. She flipped neatly and landed next to the man on the floor, placing one foot on his chest.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" he asked arrogantly.

"Yeah there's a problem." said Buffy, slightly out of breath, "Why are you following me?"

"I know what you're thinking." the man said, "But don't worry. I don't bite."

Buffy released him, and he sprung to his feet. He was tall and looked strong, not t mention utterly gorgeous. She got into a fighting stance.

"Truth is, I thought you'd be taller...or bigger...muscles and all that." He rubbed the back of his head, "You're pretty spry though."

"What do you want?" asked Buffy defensively.

"The same thing you do."

"Ok." she said, louder, dropping her pose, "What do I want?"

"To kill 'em." he said evilly, a twisted smile appearing on his face, "To kill 'em all."

"Sorry that's incorrect! But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of turtle wax! What I want is to be left alone." said Buffy, bored, walking past him and heading for the alley mouth.

"Do you really think that's an option anymore?" he asked her, causing Buffy to stop in her tracks, "You're standing at the mouth of Hell, and it's about to open."

He pulled out a small box from his jacket pocket, "Don't turn your back on this."

He threw the box to her. She caught it without moving a muscle.

"You've gotta be ready."

"What for?"

"For the Harvest." he replied with a small smile.

"Who are you?" she asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Let's just say...I'm a friend." he said, grinning as he walked backwards to leave.

"Well maybe I don't want a friend." said Buffy, a little sulkily.

He turned around, still smiling, "I didn't say I was yours."

Buffy opened the velvet box he had given her to find to large, silver crosses on chains. She looked to the mouth of the alley to find he had disappeared.

* * *

"He was creepy...but in a sexy way." Buffy told Tatum as they reached the entrance of the Bronze. 

"He sounds like my ex-boyfriend." said Tatum, as she handed hers and Buffy's money to the guard at the door.

"I guess he's one of your dad's friends." said Buffy, as the two girls entered the club and sat at a table.

"No way!" said Tatum, laughing, "My dad doesn't have any sexy friends!"

Buffy gave her a look.

"Trust me! Even though I've only met him, he's not the type of guy to have hot male friends." she said, "Unless he's a pimp!"

Buffy laughed, as she turned to watch the band.

"This place is actually pretty cool." she said, watching the lead singer of Sprung Monkey dance about.

"Hey look! There's Xander!" said Tatum, waving at him and ushering him over.

"Hey girls!" he said, grinning at them both as he sat down, "You made it!"

"Yeah. Don't know how though, with the crappy directions you gave us." Tatum said.

Xander put on a mock-hurt face, "In the bad part of town...half a block away from the good part of town."

Tatum laughed.

"I'm going to get drinks." said Buffy, standing up as the song finished, "You guys want?"

"No, I'm good thanks." replied Tatum.

"Nothing for me thank you." said Xander, turning his attention back to Tatum.

Buffy made her way to the bar. She bumped into a girl and the girl dropped her drink on the floor. The crowd began clapping and whooping. The girl sat at a stool and went the color of her hair.

"Sorry, my bad!" said Buffy, sitting next to her, "Let me buy you another one?"

"Oh no! It's ok, really!" the red-head responded, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I insist!" said Buffy, ordering two drinks from the bar, "I've just started Sunnydale High! I'm Buffy!"

"Oh hi!" the girl said, "I'm Willow Rosenberg."

The barman set the drinks down in front of them.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Buffy asked as she took a sip of her drink, noticing the girl keep checking the doorway.

"Not really...I thought Xander was going to show up."

"Xander! I know Xander!"

"Oh good!" said Willow, "We've been best friends forever."

"So you two aren't going out?"

"We used to but then we broke up..."

"How come?" asked Buffy, taking another sip of her drink.

"He stole my Barbie." said Willow determinedly, then at Buffy's look, "We were five."

"Oh!" Buffy said, "So do you wanna come over to our table? Xander's with my friend Tatum."

"Ok."


	7. First Encounters Of The Fangy Kind

They made their way through the crowd and found Xander and Tatum at the same table with some drinks.

"Hey!" the couple greeted.

"Willow! You made it!" said Xander, pulling a stool up beside him.

"Yeah. I've been here since seven." she said a little downheartedly, "You know? When we said we'd meet."

"What's with the sour puss?" Xander asked, his eyes never leaving the brunette seated beside him, "I'm here now."

"So Willow." said Buffy, trying to take her attention from Xander and Tatum, "You dating anyone?"

"Erm...not really. I don't date a whole lot. When I'm with a boy I like it's hard for me to say anything cool or witty, or at all. I can usually make a few vowel sounds, but then I have to go away."

"It's not that bad!" laughed Buffy.

"It must be easy for you." said Willow.

"Yeah...real easy." sighed Buffy, looking into her glass and twirling her straw."

"I mean, you don't seem too shy." Willow said quickly, "I think guys like a girl who can talk."

"You really haven't been dating lately!" said Buffy smiling, "My philosophy...do you wanna hear my philosophy?"

"I do!" replied Willow with wide eyes.

"Life is short. Not original I'll grant you, but it's true. Why waste time being all shy over some guy and if he's gonna laugh at you? Seize the tomorrow, you could be dead."

"That's nice." said Willow genuinely, nodding her head.

A tall boy with dark hair came up to their table.

"Jesse!" said Willow, "Hey! This is Buffy and Tatum –"

"New girls!" said Jesse, pointing at the girls.

"Hi." said Buffy.

As Xander whispered in Tatum's ear, she let out a loud giggle. She tapped Xander playfully on the arm. He yelped out in pain.

"Hey!" said Jesse, pulling a seat up to the table and sitting on Tatum's other side.

"Hi." Tatum replied, "Jesse, right?"

"Yep –" he said, but stopped mid-sentence as Cordelia Chase sauntered past the table.

He jumped to his feet and jogged after her and her quick-paced posse.

"Jesse in love with the world's most poisonous, vicious, sluttish, annoying, degrading –"

"I think they get it Xander." Willow cut him off, placing a gentle hand on his knee, then turning to the two girls, "Cordelia Chase...she's the most popular girl in school."

"That's all you had to say Xander." said Buffy, "Explains everything."

"Except the fact that she's Xander's step sister." said Willow with a small smile.

* * *

Buffy and Tatum left the Bronze that night in high spirits. Buffy, because she'd made some friends and was finally feeling like herself for the first time since she had started school. Being the most popular girl in school was like having an opinion that suited everyone, and it was hard work. Tatum was happy because she was finally feeling like a normal teenage girl; she had friends, she had her dad, she had a social life that didn't involve crowding around a smuggled magazine bitching about less fortunate girls in her school. Plus, she decided she had a little crush on Xander!

The two girls walked in amicable silence. Suddenly, they both stopped dead in their tracks. A hand shot out of the dark and grabbed Tatum's throat from behind, lifting her off of her feet. The girl began to choke. Buffy swirled around to help her and someone put their arms around her, squeezing hard to press on her windpipe. Buffy elbowed him in the face and spun him around so he flipped on his back. She half expected half wanted, to see the guy from the alley on the floor again, but instead stared into wild, yellow eyes and saw sharp fangs bear from a large, spitting mouth, as the vampire got to his feet. She got into a fighting stance, and aimed a piercing kick at the vampire's chest.

Meanwhile, Tatum had struggled with her attacker. Being throttled, she had swung her legs aimlessly and managed to connect with their knees. They fell to the floor, one in pain, one gasping for breath. Tatum crawled away blindly, desperate to escape her attacker when she was so weakened. They grabbed her by the shoulders and swung her around, her bare legs scraping against the harsh concrete floor before she connected with a wall. Tatum looked up and saw, as she had rightly guessed, a vampire standing before her, its demonic visage in full splendor.

Buffy turned from the beaten vampire to see Tatum crawling from her assailant. She decided to finish up here and help her out.

"You'll die, Slayer!" the vampire growled, getting to his feet.

"Ah! Oh no! Please don't kill me!" Buffy said sarcastically, as she whipped out her stake, "You've really got me with that sentence. How ever will I get out of this one?"

The vampire opened his mouth to speak, but only uttered a gurgling sound, as Buffy's stake plunged straight through his heart. She ripped it from his body and he turned instantly to dust.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

Buffy stopped in her path towards Tatum and the other vampire, and swirled around to see a shaken Xander and a startled Willow. Buffy opened her mouth to say something but Tatum's scream rang out as the vampire standing above her grabbed her off of the floor by her shoulders and held her against the wall. Buffy made for her friend and the blonde, female vampire but Tatum composed herself, kicking the vamp in the leg and falling to the floor. Tatum stood up and threw a few punches to her head, sending her back. Buffy moved forward and staked the blonde through the back, and was face to face with Tatum as the dust settled.

"Ok. I have to say this again...what the fuck?" said Xander, walking towards the girls.

"Why were they trying to hurt you?" asked Willow in a small voice.

"Because they were bad people." said Tatum quickly.

"Lucky you had those pointy sticks, eh?" said Xander, "For poking bad people with."

"What was wrong with their faces?" Willow asked.

"Just in dire need of a facial." replied Tatum, with a big smile.

"Yeah. And them turning to dust...just a trick of the light!" said Buffy, plastering a fake smile across her face like Tatum.

"Yeah...and the Mayor of Sunnydale is a century year old soulless fiend!" scoffed Xander.

Buffy and Tatum exchanged looks.

"Maybe we should go to the library..."


End file.
